But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse points to a divine "creation" – something entirely unprecedented. It's not just a natural disaster, but a supernatural act that will reveal who truly serves the LORD. This event itself becomes the irrefutable proof of Korah's rebellion against God's appointed leaders.
But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram are leading a rebellion against Moses' authority, claiming he has overstepped his bounds and that all Israelites are holy and equal. Moses, after falling on his face in prayer, proposes a divine test for the next day: the rebels and Aaron will bring censers to the Tabernacle, and God will show whom He has chosen. This verse describes the crucial part of that test – Moses' declaration that a miraculous, unprecedented destruction of the rebels by the earth opening up would be God's undeniable sign that they had indeed defied Him.
The rebellion against Moses and Aaron reached a terrifying climax. How does God's response in this moment reveal His nature and authority?
The phrase 'if the LORD creates something new' (or 'create a creation') points to an act of divine power that is unlike anything seen before. It's not just a natural disaster; it's a supernatural intervention designed to be a clear, undeniable sign.
Rebellion against human authority can be serious, but what makes challenging Moses and Aaron so uniquely offensive to the Lord Himself?
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The core of this confrontation wasn't just about leadership roles; it was about God's chosen representatives and His established order. The rebels' actions were not merely political dissent but a profound act of defiance against God Himself.
Understand the original words
šəʾôl · Hebrew Noun
The place of the dead in Hebrew thought, often referring to the underworld, the grave, or the realm of conscious existence for the departed, frequently associated with divine judgment.
nāʾaṣ · Hebrew Verb
To treat with contempt, reject, or show lack of reverence; to look down upon someone or something, specifically God's authority or holiness.
The rebellion of Korah occurred during the 40-year wilderness wanderings, a period defined by challenges to God's established order and leadership following the Exodus. This specific event highlights the Israelites' ongoing struggle with obedience and trust in God's provision and authority, even after experiencing His deliverance from Egypt.
c. 1440 BC
Israel Exits Egypt
Under Moses' leadership, the Israelites leave slavery in Egypt, marking the beginning of their journey towards the Promised Land.
c. 1440-1400 BC
Wandering in the Wilderness
The Israelites spend 40 years in the Sinai wilderness due to disobedience and lack of faith. This period is marked by challenges to Moses' leadership and God's provision.
c. 1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
After Moses' death, Joshua leads the Israelites into the Promised Land, beginning a period of conquest and settlement.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Korah's Rebellion Occurs
During the wilderness wanderings, Korah, along with Dathan, Abiram, and 250 other leaders, challenges Moses and Aaron's authority, leading to a divine judgment.
Jesus speaks of Satan falling like lightning, echoing the sudden, divine judgment seen when fire came down from the Lord in Numbers 16. This shows a consistent theme of God's powerful intervention against rebellion.
1 Corinthians 10:10Paul warns the Corinthians not to grumble, 'as some of them also grumbled, and were destroyed by the Destroyer.' This directly references the murmuring against Moses and Aaron and the subsequent destruction, highlighting the danger of discontent against God's appointed leaders.
Jude 1:11Jude describes followers of false teaching as walking in the 'way of Cain' and being destroyed 'in the gainsaying of Korah.' This explicitly links the rebellion in Numbers 16 to ongoing spiritual dangers and warns against similar defiance.
Hebrews 12:29This verse states that 'our God is a consuming fire,' a concept powerfully illustrated in Numbers 16 when fire came down from the Lord to consume the rebels, emphasizing God's holiness and judgment against sin.
2 Peter 2:4Peter mentions God 'not sparing the angels when they sinned, but casting them into hell and committing them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment,' paralleling the unique and severe judgment upon Korah and his followers as a demonstration of God's wrath against rebellion.
gillNumbers 16:30: "But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD."
But if the Lord make a new thing,.... Or "create a creation", or "creature" (s), what never was before, or put those persons to a death that none ever in the world died of yet; what that is he means is next expressed: and the earth open her mouth and swallow th…
calvinNumbers 16:1-50: "Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:"
And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?
Congregatique sunt adversum Mosen et…
The verse points to a divine "creation" – something entirely unprecedented. It's not just a natural disaster, but a supernatural act that will reveal who truly serves the LORD. This event itself becomes the irrefutable proof of Korah's rebellion against God's appointed leaders.
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram are leading a rebellion against Moses' authority, claiming he has overstepped his bounds and that all Israelites are holy and equal. Moses, after falling on his face in prayer, proposes a divine test for the next day: the rebels and Aaron will bring censers to the Tabernacle, and God will show whom He has chosen. This verse describes the crucial part of that test – Moses' declaration that a miraculous, unprecedented destruction of the rebels by the earth opening up would be God's undeniable sign that they had indeed defied Him.
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram are leading a rebellion against Moses' authority, claiming he has overstepped his bounds and that all Israelites are holy and equal. Moses, after falling on his face in prayer, proposes a divine test for the next day: the rebels and Aaron will bring censers to the Tabernacle, and God will show whom He has chosen. This verse describes the crucial part of that test – Moses' declaration that a miraculous, unprecedented destruction of the rebels by the earth opening up would be God's undeniable sign that they had indeed defied Him.
"But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD.”" — The verse points to a divine "creation" – something entirely unprecedented. It's not just a natural disaster, but a supernatural act that will reveal who truly serves the LORD. This event itself beco…
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Last reviewed October 2026